Chisa Hutchinson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chisa Hutchinson
Hutchinson on HowlRound in 2020
Born	1980 Queens, New York, US
Occupation	Playwright, Performer
Alma mater	AB Vassar College MFA New York University
Notable awards	GLAAD Award (2010), Lilly Award (2010), Lanford Wilson Award (2015)

Chisa Hutchinson is an American playwright. She writes plays for the stage. Her plays have won many awards, like the GLAAD Award and the Lilly Award. She also received the Lanford Wilson Award.

Chisa has been a fellow at important theater groups such as the Lark and the Dramatist Guild. She performed with the Neo-Futurists in New York. She also worked as a writer for the famous Blue Man Group. Chisa Hutchinson teaches creative writing at the University of Delaware. Her play Somebody's Daughter was on 'The Kilroys List' in 2017. This list highlights great plays by women and trans playwrights.

Chisa Hutchinson's Early Life

Chisa Hutchinson was born in Queens, New York in 1980. When she was four years old, a family in Newark, New Jersey unofficially adopted her.

At age 14, Chisa moved to Short Hills to attend Kent Place School. This was her first time experiencing theatre. Her drama teacher took her to a debate between two famous playwrights, August Wilson and Robert Brustein. This event inspired her to write plays about African American experiences.

Chisa Hutchinson's Education

Hutchinson went to Vassar College. She earned a degree in Dramatic Arts there. Later, she got her master's degree in Dramatic Writing from Tisch School of the Arts.

At Vassar College, Chisa was the only Black student studying drama. Because her classes did not focus on plays by Black writers, she felt she needed to create her own stories. This led her to write her own plays.

Themes in Chisa Hutchinson's Plays

Chisa Hutchinson's plays often deal with important social issues. She believes the best way to write about these issues is to focus on the characters. Her plays tell stories about people not often seen on stage. This includes stories about transgender people and people of color.

Chisa once said that she uses her words to make a difference. She feels that even if she only has words, she will use them to try and create change. She wants her plays to make people think and feel.

Selected Plays by Chisa Hutchinson

• Amerikin
• Surely Goodness and Mercy
• She Likes Girls
• Mama's Gonna Buy You
• This is not the Play
• Tunde's Trumpet
• The Subject
• Somebody's Daughter
• Alondra Was Here
• The Wedding Gift
• Dead & Breathing

Awards Chisa Hutchinson Has Won

• GLAAD Award (2010)
• Lilly Award (2010)
• New York Innovative Theatre Award (2012)
• Paul Green Award (2013)
• Helen Merrill Award (2013)
• Lanford Wilson Award (2015)